Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney) is set to gather her close friends for support before facing a difficult conversation with Ronnie Bailey (Vinta Morgan) about her future in Coronation Street.
In recent episodes of the ITV soap, Debbie and Ronnie hit a major obstacle when it became clear Ronnie did not want to be intimate with Debbie, who has dementia. Confused, Debbie eventually learned that Ronnie feared she might suffer a memory lapse while they were together. With her confidence low, Debbie sought reassurance by telling a stranger at the hotel that her husband no longer fancies her.
Back at the flat, the pair had a heated argument that ended when Ronnie blurted out that this version of Debbie is not the one he fell in love with. Their relationship dynamic has shifted significantly and will continue to change as Debbie’s health deteriorates.
Debbie turns to her friends for help
Before addressing her future with Ronnie, Debbie reaches out to her girlfriends Sally Metcalfe (Sally Dynevor), Christina Boyd (Amy Robbins) and Glenda Shuttleworth (Jodie Prenger). She tells them she would like their help with a project she is working on and invites them round for a catch-up the next day.
Later, Debbie sits down with Ronnie and tells him they need to discuss her long-term care while she is still able to make decisions. Ronnie’s heart breaks at the very thought of it.
Ronnie’s fears about becoming a carer
Reflecting on how Ronnie feels about potentially being Debbie’s carer, Vinta Morgan said: “Ronnie is not entirely sure if he’s up to this challenge. But he feels he has no other option because of his moral compass, because of the person he is, and because when he gives his loyalty, he means it to the end. He’s not someone to shy away from a challenge, so he’s going to meet the challenge as best as he can. But there are some challenges that are more difficult to comprehend and to sustain an effort against.”
Morgan added: “Realising how mountainous this task is and that he may not be equipped to do it all frightens him and weakens him. But again, he doesn’t want to show that to her, he wants to be this rock, this knight in shining armour for her.”
What lies ahead for the couple
Teasing what is to come for Ronnie and Debbie, Morgan said: “Christmas has got some beautiful scenes! What the audience can get more of is that there’s going to be some downs, but there’s going to be some ups. There are going to be some moments where the audience will go, ‘Oh, if they could just be trapped in that moment!’ We’ll let them stay in that moment for a bit, and then he’s going to go on a roller-coaster ride where we’re going to go down into the depths of some really dark stuff.”
He continued: “Which is still going to have some light and love in it, of course, that’s the whole thing that makes it excruciating. But it’s really going to go into the realms of what the reality is like, really. We’re not going to sugarcoat it; we’re going to show it for what it is. Hopefully, it will develop conversations and help raise awareness.”
